Book Blitz for The Irish Wanders by Shannon O'Gorman with a GIVEAWAY

 

The Irish Wanders
Shannon O’Gorman
(Rose Hawthorne, #2)
Publication date: March 16th 2022
Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery

Rose Hawthorne is a celebrity author in her early seventies, who dislikes the spotlight but has a penchant for Hermes scarfs, round violet sunglasses, and old colonial hotels.

One day, she receives a strange letter asking her to visit Newgrange, Ireland and look for something that has been hidden there for a thousand years.

She asks her granddaughter to accompany her, but she hadn’t expected Samantha to continually be posting photos of their progress on her Instagram account. An encounter with an old love and an unexpected discovery leads Rose further and further into the past, and she finds must make a hard decision about her future.

Don’t miss this second book in the Rose Hawthorne series!

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

She linked her arm around his as they walked, a natural move. She was allowed to do it. It felt right. Rose was drawn towards Bill. He was like a giant magnet pulling her and she couldn’t help but move closer to him.

They walked together, drunk and happy. She didn’t engage him in conversation. She knew the flow was right. He talked and she listened.

When they got to the next pub, he bought her another pint, and they sat down to listen to a lone fiddler. She sipped the Guinness. It was dark and warm, different from any other beer.

He’d leaned over her, and then—the kiss. The kiss came as a surprise to her. His soft lips were on hers. She could smell the beer on his breath.

After the kiss, he put his forehead against hers. They sat together, joined like that for a long time, letting the music wash over them, throbbing in time with their heartbeats.

At first, the music the fiddler played was lively, his fingers deftly danced across the strings, and a few couples got up to spin around the floor. Towards the end of his set, he played exquisite notes that washed over the pub, making the dust dance, and it rose in the air like magic. The cheering and conversation quieted down for his last song. It was a slow piece that most of them recognised. The fiddler hit the final note with such poignancy that it echoed throughout the pub. When the music stopped, the whole pub went quiet.They cleared their throats and blinked back tears, and then took a few last swallows from their pints.

“Nothing like a bit of Irish music to bring out the tears,” Bill admitted wiping an eye.

“It’s something so special,” Rose agreed with a small sniff.

And all around the pub, they raised their glasses to the fiddler and his music.

As people began to leave the pub, Rose realized that it was getting late and neither of them had eaten yet.

“Shall we eat something? Maybe grab some fish and chips?” Bill said, reading her mind.

“Perfect,” she replied in a low, quiet voice.

They bought some greasy fish and chips at a nearby takeaway. It was wrapped in brown paper and covered with the Dublin news.

Then, they walked the streets until they found a bench under the stars away from the shouts, laughter and the lights. Beside the river, they were alone. They unwrapped the greasy paper and ate the cod hungrily, stuffing the vinegar smeared fries quickly into their mouths.

“Do you want the last chip?” Bill had said softly, holding it up in his greasy fingers.

Rose raised her eyebrows and smiled. “I certainly do.”

Bill placed it gently in her mouth, looking deeply into her eyes. She kissed his fingers slowly.

Then he kissed her again. She’d clung to him and let him kiss her.

They were both tired. Bill took her hand and led her up a narrow laneway not far away.

Author Bio:

Shannon is originally from Winnipeg, Canada but has had the great fortune to have traveled and lived in several countries. After graduating with a degree in English literature she focused on travelling for a few years and eventually found herself teaching English in Japan. After more than a decade in Japan, she returned to teach ESL in Canada and convinced her husband and daughter to join her. These days she lives in San Jose, California, and enjoys coaxing her dog to train for a Camino.

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Book Review for When We Let Go by Rochelle B. Weinstein

 When We Let Go by Rochelle B. Weinstein 

Paperback, 316 pages

Publication: May 17th 2022 by Lake Union Publishing

 

Taken from Goodreads:  A moving novel of family and forgiveness and of hope and healing by Rochelle B. Weinstein, the USA Today bestselling author of This Is Not How It Ends.

When Avery Beckett is proposed to by Jude Masters, a widowed father and the man she loves, it should be a time of great joy. Instead, Avery is on edge. She’s wary of the idea of family, doubtful of happy endings, and too afraid to take the leap. It’s the kind of fear that comes from having secrets.

Before Avery commits to a new life, she must reconcile with the one she left behind.

When Avery returns to her childhood farm in the North Carolina mountains, she’s surprised to be saddled with a companion: Jude’s teenage daughter, Elle, who’s grappling with the loss of her mother and the complicated emotions of first love. On a path of mending wounds and breaking down walls, Avery and Elle form an unexpected alliance. It’s giving them the courage to move forward. And for Avery, everything she needs to confront the past.

An emotional tale of mothers and daughters, loss and acceptance, When We Let Go is about the lessons that come from heartbreak and the healing it takes to embrace the joy of a second chance.

 

My Thoughts:  When We Let Go is a heart string pulling book.  Avery had her life in order until she lost it all.  She blames herself, as most people seem to do, and feels that she is not worthy of another chance at being happy.    I could feel her pain, her suffering, and her want to find a way to be happy again.  I loved that Rochelle B. Weinstein did not give all of Avery’s story.   There were glimpses and clues of what her life was and what is could be as the book went on and I enjoyed the anticipation of learning more about Avery.  

 

Elle is the character that I was most invested in.   Her anger was dangerous.   She was too young to be able to understand and handle all that was happening in her life.    She needed someone to protect her, love her, and let her express her anger without judgement.   As much as her father tried, he was not the right person.   Avery was the perfect person.  With Avery’s self-blame and Elle’s self-anger they were perfect to help each other figure out how to start living happily again.  They both deserved to find what they were so desperately needing. 

 

The third woman in the book, Willow, I loved.   Her positive outlook, her ability to make everyone feel comfortable with just her presence made her a character I wanted to know more about.  I wanted more scenes with her, more time with her, and just more of her.  I liked that while she comforted both Avery and Elle she called them on their business, supported them in their decisions, and never gave up on them.   Willow had her own history and story, I feel like there is more to her future and her past, I would love to see another book with these characters.      

 

I was so invested in this story, I read it while my husband drove us through a snowstorm to visit our youngest at college.   I am usually a horrible passenger but with this book to distract me I did not even realize when we drove out of the storm.  I just kept reading, being pulled into the story from the very first page and not wanting to put it down until I read the very last word.   Even now, having read the entire book, I am still thinking about the book.   The characters were so real and the storyline one that most people will find something in common with. 

 

**Thank you Ann-Marie at GetRedPr for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

 

Meet Rochelle B. Weistein (Taken from her website):  USA TODAY and Amazon bestselling author of This Is Not How It Ends, Somebody's Daughter, Where We Fall, The Mourning After, and What We Leave Behind.

A little about me. I was born and raised in Miami, Florida among the chaos of three older siblings. After graduating college, I moved west to Los Angeles where I launched my career at the LA Weekly, running advertising and promotions for film studios and record labels.

After a few colorful years, I returned to Miami, landing my first dream job through an ad in The Miami Herald. Yes, an actual newspaper. For the next ten years, I managed the advertising, marketing, and promotions for every record label in the country at The Box Music Network. Our offices on South Beach were the hub for musicians and record executives worldwide. Work consisted of meeting talented superstars and listening to great music. Fun, right?

Marriage and kids soon followed in the form of dream job number two, and The Box eventually moved to New York. Sometime in between raising the twins, PTA meetings, carpool, flag football, basketball, and lacrosse tournaments, writing freelance, cheering on the Dolphins and Heat, and volunteering at organizations near and dear to my heart, dream job number three took root, and I became a full-time author.

Life has a funny way of happening this way. Doors open and close. Avenues await. One path leads to another. I thought life was fun before, but nothing is more fun than this.

 

 

Spotlight for Adult Assembly Required by Abbi Waxman

Expected publication: May 17th 2022 by Berkley

Genre: Romance, Chick Lit

A young woman arrives in Los Angeles determined to start over, and discovers she doesn’t need to leave everything behind after all, from Abbi Waxman, USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.

When Laura Costello moves to Los Angeles, trying to escape an overprotective family and the haunting memories of a terrible accident, she doesn’t expect to be homeless after a week. (She’s pretty sure she didn’t start that fire — right?) She also doesn't expect to find herself adopted by a rogue bookseller, installed in a lovely but completely illegal boardinghouse, or challenged to save a losing trivia team from ignominy…but that’s what happens. Add a regretful landlady, a gorgeous housemate and an ex-boyfriend determined to put himself back in the running and you’ll see why Laura isn’t really sure she’s cut out for this adulting thing. Luckily for her, her new friends Nina, Polly and Impossibly Handsome Bob aren't sure either, but maybe if they put their heads (and hearts) together they’ll be able to make it work for them.

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

Meet Abbi Waxman (Taken from her website):  Abbi Waxman was born in England in 1970, the oldest child of two copywriters who never should have been together in the first place. Once her father ran off to buy cigarettes and never came back, her mother began a successful career writing crime fiction. Naturally lazy and disinclined to dress up, Abbi went into advertising, working as a copywriter and then a creative director at various advertising agencies in London and New York. Eventually she quit advertising, had three kids and started writing books, mostly in order to get a moment’s peace.

Abbi lives in Los Angeles with her husband, three kids, three dogs, three cats, a gecko, a snake, five pigeons, four chickens, and two guinea pigs. Every one of these additions made sense at the time, it’s only in retrospect that it seems foolhardy.

 

Release Blitz for Lighthouse Way by Kristen Proby

 

 

Lighthouse Way by Kristen Proby is now live!

 

Luna Winchester's life is firmly entrenched in the coastal town of Huckleberry Bay, Oregon. A fourth-generation lightkeeper, Luna is carrying on the Winchester tradition by tending to the lighthouse. Plus, she's decided to renovate a long-abandoned building on the property and make it a B&B, Luna's Light. Surrounded by family and her two childhood best friends, her life is full.

Wolfe Conrad is in hiding, and he's come to Huckleberry Bay to heal. A career-ending accident on the track nearly took his life, and now he seeks refuge to try and build a new one. The quaint town's slow pace rattles the man whose first love is fast cars--and then there's the beautiful innkeeper, who rattles him in different ways.

Falling in love with Luna definitely isn't part of Wolfe's plan. Local legends that tell of unrequited love and despair? Unbelievable. But stranger things have happened, like two strangers falling in love...

Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Audible, Barnes & Noble, Kobo!

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Audible: https://adbl.co/3vGuMEg

Narrated by: Erin Mallon & Sebastian York

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3KBR2UL

 

Meet Kristen

Kristen Proby has published more than forty titles, many of which have hit the USA Today, New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists. She continues to self publish, best known for her With Me In Seattle and Boudreaux series, and is also proud to work with William Morrow, a division of HarperCollins, with the Fusion and Romancing Manhattan Series.

Kristen and her husband, John, make their home in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana with their two cats.

Connect with Kristen

Website: https://www.kristenprobyauthor.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6550037.Kristen_Proby

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BooksByKristenProby/

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/684662744993031/

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Book Blitz for The Memory Keeper of Kyiv by Erin Litteken with a GIVEAWAY

 

The Memory Keeper of Kyiv
Erin Litteken
Publication date: May 16th 2022
Genres: Literary Fiction

Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and The Beekeeper of Aleppo.
“A powerfully moving debut . . . Ukraine’s tragic history painfully echoes its current crisis, and on every page the Ukrainian spirit shines out, unbowed, unbent and unbroken. This is a compelling, timely read.” Kate Quinn, author of The Rose Code

In the 1930s, Stalin’s activists marched through the Soviet Union, espousing the greatness of collective farming. It was the first step in creating a man-made famine that, in Ukraine, stole almost 4 million lives. Inspired by the history the world forgot, and the Russian government denies, Erin Litteken reimagines their story.
In 1929, Katya is 16 years old, surrounded by family and in love with the boy next door. When Stalin’s activists arrive in her village, it’s just a few, a little pressure to join the collective. But soon neighbors disappear, those who speak out are never seen again and every new day is uncertain.

Resistance has a price, and as desperate hunger grips the countryside, survival seems more a dream than a possibility. But, even in the darkest times, love beckons.

Seventy years later, a young widow discovers her grandmother’s journal, one that will reveal the long-buried secrets of her family’s haunted past.

This is a story of the resilience of the human spirit, the love that sees us through our darkest hours and the true horror of what happened during the Holodomor.

“I never imagined the release of my novel on a past oppression of the Ukrainian people would coincide with such a parallel tragedy.” Erin Litteken

May we never forget, lest history repeat itself.

A share of proceeds will be donated to DEC’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

A sharp click echoed in the room, and everyone froze. The Russian’s cocked pistol pointed at Tato. “Are you resisting orders? If you are, we will have to label you an enemy of the people. We all know what happens to enemies of the people. I could shoot you right now, and nobody would care.”

Katya’s head buzzed. All the anger she’d felt morphed into sheer terror as she stared at her Tato. His beet-red face glistened with sweat and his hands curled slowly into fists, the anger crackling off him like a hungry fire seeking fuel. If someone didn’t intercede, he would be shot for attempting to murder Prokyp with his bare hands.

Mama, too, saw his inner struggle, for she stepped in front of Tato and spoke calmly. “I apologize for my husband’s behavior. He’s overprotective of his daughters. He didn’t mean what he said. We’ll cooperate, I swear it.”

The Russian smirked and lowered his gun. Dropping Alina’s hand, Katya pulled her father into a hug and spoke in his ear. “Please, Tato, there is no harm done, but we can’t lose you. Please.” She felt the tension lessen from his body, but vibrations of anger still throbbed like the veins on his neck.

Prokyp watched the scene with amusement, then sauntered back over to his cohorts, smiling. The Russian turned to him and asked with complete sincerity, “Have you been offended by this man? What would you like to do, Comrade?”

Prokyp glanced at Tato and then at Alina, who was white as a sheet, but holding her head high as Mama had taught them to. Katya’s legs wobbled, so she locked her knees and held her breath as they waited for this fool to decide the fate of their family.

“I suppose I can overlook it this once, as long as he and his family promise to cooperate fully in the future.” His gaze lingered on Alina. “But we shall have to check back here often to make sure they are behaving.”

Another activist pushed into the house with a large sack of wheat balanced on his shoulder. “I found this, and another just like it, hidden in the barn loft.”

Katya’s heart sank. She’d worried the wheat in the barn wasn’t hidden well enough, but Tato thought it safe out of sight beneath the hay.

“You can’t take that!” Tato shouted. “It’s my seed for planting this fall!”

“This will pay your quota. For now.” The Russian Soviet waved a hand dismissively, as if suddenly bored by them. “Come, we must move to the next house.”

The woman cast an apologetic look toward Mama and hurried behind the men as they left. The door swung wildly in their wake, and none of them moved until Tato strode forward and slammed it shut, though not before Katya saw the activists’ cart stacked high with sacks of grain, just like the ones they’d taken from the barn.

Author Bio:

Erin Litteken is a debut novelist with a degree in history and a passion for research. At a young age, she was enthralled by stories of her family’s harrowing experiences in Ukraine before, during and after World War II. She lives in Illinois, USA with her husband and children.

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Book Blitz for Mermaid of Paris by Jincey Lumpkin with a GIVEAWAY

 

Mermaid of Paris
Jincey Lumpkin
(Mermaid of Venice, #4)
Publication date: May 16th 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

The latest action-packed installment in the Mermaid of Venice series finds Gia Acquaviva, the world’s most famous mermaid, reconnecting with a mysterious man from her past. Will he punish Gia and get the revenge he deserves––or will they fall in love all over again?

Meanwhile, Gia attempts to rebuild her broken business empire just as the Mermaid world descends into a bitter and dangerous civil war. Gia already picked her allies, but will she make good on her promises––or will she cut sail when the winds shift?

Fans of Killing Eve and Fifty Shades of Grey will love the Mermaid of Venice series. These page-turning thrillers have lush fantasy elements and showcase the billionaire lifestyle that you secretly covet.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

When Florent’s jet landed and he exited the plane, Moussa led his people in a round of applause. After much embracing, Moussa escorted Florent onto Gia’s plane.

Florent wore a sweater, just like the last time she’d seen him, several months ago. He carried a Domenico Vacca alligator duffle—a custom bag that cost him no less than eighty grand.

“Bon soir, Gia,” Florent said, lowering his head to nod hello. “These days you can’t seem to stay out of trouble, can you?”

Gia wanted to gain the upper hand, to throw him a little, so she gingerly pulled the cashmere blanket off her chest—exposing her breasts—and moved Serena to the other side to continue her feeding.

The plan worked. Florent was transfixed.

“I would get up,” Gia whispered, “but as you see, I am dealing with a hungry baby.”

Florent’s eyes flashed, and in that blaze echoed a multitude of memories, unrealized dreams and resentments. Over the years he had fantasized about everything from embedding himself back in Gia’s life and marrying her, to strangling her and tossing her in the ocean. And now, here she was right in front of him, chest exposed, the very picture of radiant motherhood combined with unfettered sexuality. It was difficult for him to reconcile this scene with what he knew to be true about her—her killer instinct, to be specific. After all, he had the scar to prove just how dark her true impulses were.

Moussa shifted from one foot to the other and swallowed hard as he watched the pair before him. He offered a brief, “ahem,” and broke the awkward silence. “Bisset, how long before we leave for the port?”

“I have a fleet of trucks coming in half an hour,” Florent replied, finally tearing his eyes away from Gia.

“Then I have some work to do to get everyone ready.” Moussa bowed at Florent before heading down to wrangle the merfolk, happy to leave the plane.

When Moussa was gone, Florent sat across from Gia, trying not to fidget. He wanted to telegraph an air of cool serenity. Gia, of course, didn’t buy it.

“Why are you here, Florent?”

“I want to help. Am I not a gentleman, Gia?”

“I never knew you to be one, no.”

“Then you don’t know me.”

Gia studied his face, narrowing her eyes. “I find it odd that you harbor an impulse to help in any circumstance that involves me.”

Florent smirked. “Oh, but you see, Gia, I’ve been waiting for the moment you need me the most. I have been watching and waiting for a very long time. What luck,” he commented, raising his eyebrows. “It appears that the moment I anticipated has finally arrived.”

Author Bio:

JINCEY LUMPKIN is a writer and creative director in Luxury Beauty. She is the author of the Mermaid of Venice fantasy thriller series. Recognized as a thought leader on women and culture, Jincey has written more than 50 columns for the Huffington Post and Playboy. She headlined Sex Week at Harvard and gave an infamous TEDx talk, “Are Robots the Future of Sex?” She has been profiled by Dateline NBC, Vice, and GQ, among others. Out Magazine listed her in its "OUT 100", naming her as one of the world's most influential LGBTQ+ people, alongside celebrities like Laverne Cox and Ricky Martin.

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Audiobook Review for Discovering Delilah by Melissa Foster

 

Discovering Delilah: An LGBT Love Story

Harborside Nights, Book 2

By: Melissa Foster

Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Ava Erickson

Series: Harborside Nights, Book 2

Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 12-28-18

Language: English

Publisher: Melissa Foster

Discovering Delilah is a Lesbian romance (#LGBT).

After the death of her parents on the day of her college graduation, Delilah Armstrong thought she could finally follow her heart and come out to her closest friends, but the guilt of going against her parents' beliefs haunts her. The feelings she has for her best friend, Ashley, are stronger than anything she's felt before, but Delilah has never even kissed a girl, and fear stops her at every turn.

Ashley Carver promised herself that she would never again date another girl who wasn't out, but that was before she met intoxicatingly sweet and sexy Delilah. 

When another girl offers to teach Delilah the ropes, it changes Delilah's whole world and gives her the courage to go after the only girl she really wants. But coming out isn't as easy as Delilah imagined, and moving past her parents' death and the feelings of guilt she is left with is even harder. The intense passion between Ashley and Delilah is too strong to deny, but coming together means risking everything.

Discovering Delilah is an edgy, evocative, romantic story of friendship, family, and the courage to love.

Audiobook Review:  I am a huge fan of Melissa Foster.  I have read this book before deciding to listen to it on Audible. Very rarely do I find the audiobook more enjoyable then the printed book but in this case I could not stop listening to Andi Arndt and Ava Erickson read me Melissa’s words.  I could feel Delilah’s pain at losing her parents, I could hear the confusion and wariness about coming out as a lesbian, and I could feel the love and support that she had from all her friends and her brother.   All of this came through the wonderful voices of the narrators.  I highly recommend listening to Discovering Delilah. 

 

eBook Review:  Wyatt and Delilah are twins, fresh out of college facing the toughest thing a child can go through. They lost both their parents in a car accident. Now they both must figure out how to live their lives. Both twins have their ups and downs, we learned about Wyatt’s life in Catching Cassidy. Now it is Delilah’s turn.

I love Delilah. She is strong, faithful, and so adorable. She lived life behind Wyatt. He was her protector from her entire life. Now she needs to step out of his shadow and life how she wants it to be. Her lifestyle is not openly accepted by some. She is a closet lesbian; actually, she isn’t even sure that she really likes women. But she knows she really likes Ashley. While discovering her feelings, learning how to live in an alternative lifestyle, she learns to be Delilah. She learns what it means to be Delilah. She doesn’t have to be what everyone else wants her to be and do what they think she should. Watching her becoming strong and self-sufficient was amazing.


This is not a book for everyone. The lesbian story line could be a taboo subject for some. To those people I say, open your eyes. This is the world we live in. Be happy for love. I cannot wait for Tristan’s story.

**CONTENT WARNING: Due to mature content, recommended for readers aged 18+**

Purchase your own copy of Discovering Delilah here..

➜AMAZON http://smarturl.it/DDa_Amazon

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43454873-discovering-delilah

 

Meet Melissa Foster: (Taken from her website)  Melissa Foster is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than 100 novels. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and women’s fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic, always family oriented, and feature fiercely loyal heroes, smart, sassy heroines, and complex relatable issues.

Melissa also writes sweet romance under the pen name,  Addison Cole.

Melissa enjoys chatting with readers and book clubs. Send her an email invitation to your next event!